The Sedimentation—reworking Genesis of Dongchuan—type Stratiform Copper Deposits

The Dongchuan-type copper deposits have long been studied and well reported because of their great economic significance.The present paper proposes a “sedimentation-reworking“ origin for this type of deposits to challenge the current “sedimentation-metamorphism“ model which has been widely asscpted since 1970s.According to the new idea,orebodies were not directly deposited in the Luoxue dolomite where they are hosted.Instead,copper was preliminarily concentrated in the Yinmin Formation.During or after diagenesis,copper in the Yinmin Formation was mobilized and leached by hydrothermal solutions derived from the interstitial water of sediments under the high geothermal gradient of rift environment,Thus,copper was transported from the source bed(the Yinmin Formation)upward to the Luoxue algal dolomite where sulfur was produced by the reduction of sulfates.The copper sulfides were formed through replacement of initial sulfides by Cu-bearing solutions.     

Enrichment of Platinum-group Elements (PGE) and Re-Os Isotopic Tracing for Porphyry Copper (Gold) Deposits

Platinum-group elements （PGE） in PGE-rich porphyry copper （gold） deposits are mainly Pt and Pd, whereas the concentrations of other PGE （Ru, Rh, Os, Ir） are significantly low. Moreover, Pt and Pd mainly exist in sulfides in the forms of crystal lattice or tiny platinum-group mineral （PGM） inclusions. The present data show that there is a positive relationship between Pt and Pd concentrations and Cu （Au） in porphyry copper （gold） deposits. The comparison of chondrite-normalized PGE distribution patterns between the ore-bearing porphyry intrusions and ore-barren porphyry intrusions in arc setting, 187^Os/188^Os, 87^Sr/86^Sr and S isotopes for porphyry copper （gold） deposits shows that PGEs were mainly derived from the mantle, and fluids from subduction zones devoted trivial PGE to the magma. The porphyry copper （gold） deposits associated with subducted events are most probably enriched in PGE, whereas those related to crustal thickening, lithospheric delamination or underplating rarely concentrate PGE. The osmium isotopic compositions in porphyry copper （gold） deposits reveal that （187^Os/188^Os）i values are highly variable and not lower than those of primitive upper mantle （PUM） and mantle peridotite, however, osmium concentrations are commonly lower than mantle peridotite, suggesting that parental magmas of some porphyry intrusions had experienced crustal contamination during magma evolution. Experimental investigations have proved that PGE exist in the forms of Cl^- and HS^- complexes during transportation and migration of the oreforming fluids. This paper summarizes previous studies including crucial controlling factors and mechanisms for PGE enrichment, and points out that the mantle-derived magmas parental to porphyry intrusions are the prerequisite for PGE enrichment in porphyry copper （gold） deposits. Favorable physical and chemical conditions （including salinity, temperature, pressure, pH, and oxygen fugacity） in hydrothermal fluids crucially control the     

Dynamics of Ore-Forming Processesof the Stratabound Skarn Copper Depositsof Tongling, Anhui Province

The skarn and ore bodies of the stratabound skarn copper deposits of Tongling, Anhui Province, are both controlled by definite stratigraphic horizons, and they are concordant with the strata. They occur as layers and layer-like bodies in permeable carbonate rocks of the Middle-Upper Carboniferous Huanglong and Chuanshan Formations which are underlain by impermeable shale or siliceous rocks of the Upper Devonian Wutong Formation. The authors study the dynamics of ore-forming processes of the ore deposits with the dynamic model of coupled transport and reaction, and the following results are obtained: The salinity gradient and flow rate of the ore-forming fluids can both promote the mixing and reaction of juvenile water and formation water, and the permeable strata are favourable sites for the intense transport-reaction of mixing and the formation of deposits. (2) As isothermal transport-reaction took place along the bedding of strata, the moving transport-reaction front formed at the contact between the     

Geological Characteristics of Copper Mineralization,Jiujiang—Ruichang Area,Jiangxi Province,China

The Jiujiang-Ruichang area in northwestern Jiangxi extends along the western part of the minerogenic belt of the middle-lower Yangtze Valley in a terrain of sediments ranging from Ordovician to Triassic in age with NEE-folda,and NW-compressive,NNW-tensile and NEE-compressive-shearing faults as the major structures .Igneous rocks are mostly intermediate-acid epizonal intrusive bodies.Typical copper mineralizations in this area include the skarn-type and stratiform Cu-bearing pyrite-type deposits at Wushan and the porphyry and breccia-pipe type copper-molybdenum deposits at Chengmenshan.Silurian strata,with a great thickness and an average copper content of 51 ppm,are considered to be the source bed of copper mineralization,as is evidenced,among other things,by the presence of an envelope which is notably impoverished in Cu aroud most of the deposits.Magmatic rocks which intruded into the Silurian strata often have relatively high alkali contents and K2O/Na2O ratios ,with extensive potash alteration.Magmatic rocks in the area are of co-melting type or mixed type.The magma assimilated a large quanity of country rocks while ascending.They are characterized by high REE contents,absence of Eu anomalies and high LREE/HREE ratios.Ancient lead and strontium isotopes were detected in feldspar megaphenocrysts from the granodiorite porphyry.Hydrothermal convective circulation systems of magmatic water of magmatic water and supergenic water was extensively developed in the magmatic and country rocks,in which copper,potassium and other ore-forming components were extracted from the country rocks and concentrated through heating,boiling and evaporating.When the ore-forming fluids found their way into the skarn zone or the unconformity between the Wutong Formation and the Huanglong Formation,ore precipitation would have occurred as a result of changing media,If the concentration of KCl exceeded 9%,copper and other ore-forming components might have been deposited in magmatic rocks,forming the porphyry-type ore deposits.     

Genetic Analogy Between Sediment—Hosted Gold Deposits and Sediment—Hosted Copper Deposits in Southwest China

The sediment-hosted copper deposits according to the authors‘ study were formed from connate formation water during the post-sedimentary or diagenetic stage while the sediment-hosted disseminated gold deposits are unanimously considered to be of post-sedimentary hydrothermal origin.Therefore,apart from their own individulities.These two types of deposits must share some characters in common.Comparisons are attempted,in this paper,between the sediment-hosted copper deposits in southwest China and the Triassic sediment-hosted disseminated gold deposits in the Yunnan-Guizhou-Guangxi Triangle in terms of geological and geochemical features.     

Ore—Fluid Systems of Fine Disseminated Gold Deposits Along the Southeastern Margin of the Yangtze Plate

Fine disseminated gold deposits occurring along the southeastern margin of the Yangtze Plate belong to the epithermal type resulting from different systems of ore-forming fluids.According to their sources, the ore-forming fluids can be divided into four systems: a)meteoric water system; b)oil-brine system; c)basin-brine system;and d)magmatic-formation water system.The four hydrothermal systems are responsible for four types of gold deposits, respectively.The meteoric water system produces hot spring gold deposits. The basin-brines,which are derived from fissure water, structural water and absorbed water sealed up in strata, are responsible for the absin-brine-type deposits.The oil-brine system, having the same source as the bain-brines ,is characterized by the involvement of organic matter and is responsible for the oil-brine-type deposits. Inclusion fluid data show that there are obvious differences in chemical composition and carbon, oxygen,hydrogen and sulfur isotopes for these hydrothermal systems.Different metallogenic provinces, in which one of the four systems is dominant, can be recognized in the region.     

In situ characterization of forearc serpentinized peridotite from the Sulu ultrahigh-pressure terrane:Behavior of fluid-mobile elements in continental subduction zone

Serpentinized peridotites in the Yangkou(YK),Suoluoshu(SLS) and Hujialin(HJL) areas in the Sulu ultrahighpressure terrane represent the relic of ancient subcontinental lithospheric mantle below the North China Craton.Their protoliths,harzburgite and dunite,were variably hydrated by aqueous fluids released from subducting Yangtze continent.The rocks are enriched in fluid-mobile elements(FME) including Sb(42–333 times the depleted mantle value) and Pb(30–476 times).The degrees of the FME enrichment are comparable to that of the Himalayan forearc serpentinites,and greater than forearc mantle serpentinites from Marianas,suggesting that the degrees of FME enrichment in the forearc serpentinites are greater in continental subduction zones than those in the oceanic subduction zones.Lizardite after olivine in the SLS serpentinite shows higher degrees of enrichment in Sb and As than those for antigorite after both olivine and orthopyroxene in the YK area.The antigorite has highly enriched in Pb,U,Cs,and LREE,but not for the lizardite.The abundance of FME in two different species of serpentine reflects the different temperature of hydration.At temperature lower than 300 ℃,formed lizardite at shallow depths of the mantle wedge incorporates elements that are fluid mobile at low temperatures,such as Sb and As.When the temperature greater than 300 ℃,formed antigorite at a relatively deep mantle wedge incorporate more FME from the subducting continental slab(or fragments),including Pb,U,Cs,LREE as well as Sb and As.The eventual breakdown of antigorite(600–700 ℃) in prograde metamorphism would discharge water as well as FME into the subducting channel and/or the overlying mantle.     

Geology and Geochemistry of Reworking Gold Deposits in Intrusive Rocks of China—Ⅱ Gold Deposits and Their Genesis

Gold deposits in intrusive masses include the veinlet dissemination,quartz vein and veinlet dissemination vein types,They are distributed in fracture zones along the endocontact zone of a batholith or in the centre and edge of a stock.The metallogenic epochs are Yenshanian,Hercynian,Archean,Proterozoic and Himalayan,The gold deposits are characterized by a big difference in time span between gold mineralization and the formation of host masses Ore-forming materials were derived from the masses and auriferous strata and ore-forming fluids came from meteoric and formation waters.When circulating water was heated by ascending heat flow,gold would be extracted,concentrated and transported from auriferous rocks and then precipitated in the masses during the late tectonic movement,Finally gold deposits were formed in the intrusive masses.     

Geochemistry of Subvolcanic-Type Copper-Silver Deposits in Eastern China

The metallogenesis of subvolcanic deposits is controlled by subvolcanic activities. The copper polymetallic deposits are genetically related to intermediate-acid rocks, and the silver polymetallic deposits are more closely related to acid rocks. The abundance of Cu is relatively high in the intermediate-acid rocks and subvolcanic rocks, whereas the abundances of Pb, An and Ag are high in acid rocks, indicating rich ore-forming elements in original magmas. The study of REEs shows that the magmatic type related to copper deposits is the syntectic type, and that related to silver polymetallic deposits is mainly the re-melting type. The deposits were formed under medium-low temperatures and low salinity. The metallogenic times were the late stage of the early Yanshanian or the late Yanshanian, dating 78-147 Ma.     

Geology, Geochemistry and Origin of the Hongshan Porphyry-Cryptoexplosive Breccia Type Copper Deposit in Huichang County, Jiangxi Prvince

The Hongshan porphyry-cryptoexplosive breccia type copper deposit occurs in a metamorphic rockseries of the Mesoproterozoic Zhongcun Group. Orebodies are distributed inside and outside porphyry-cryptoexplosive breccia pipes. The deposit involves five ore-forming types, Le the porphyry type, crytoexplosivebreccia type. contact-zone veinlet-disseminated type, in-pipe fracture-zone filling-replacement type and out-of-pipetracture-zone filling-replacement type, forming an ore-forming system of "five ore-forming types within a singlerock body" Fluid inclusion and isotope geochemical studies indicate the following: S, Pb, O and Sr were derivedfrom the lower crust, Nd was derived from the continental crust or depleted mantle and rare earth elements (REE)and trace elements have the crustal source characters; fluids consist dominantly of formation water, metamorphic wa-ter and meteoric water with a part of magmatic mater; heat came from porphyry while the latter originated from par-tial melting caused by shear heating in the lower crust and upper mantle. According to its origin the deposit is classi-fied as the hypabyssal and near-surface, meso-and hypothermal copper deposit ussociated with the late Yanshanianporphyry-cryptoexplosive breccia.     

Geology, Geochemistry and Minerogenesis of the Shijuligou Zinc–Copper Deposit in Gansu, China

Abstract: The Shijuligou deposit was separated by an arcuate ductile shear zone cross the center of the deposit region, resulting in the difference between the southern and northern ore bodies. The lead (Pb) isotopic data of ores of the Shijuligou copper deposit have averages of 206Pb/204Pb, 207Pb/204Pb, and 208Pb/204Pb in 17.634, 15.444, and 37.312, respectively. It has been shown that ore-forming metals originated from intrusive and extrusive rocks in the upper part of ophiolites. The sulfur isotopic data of pyrite and chalcopyrite in the northern part change from +7.61‰ to +8.09‰ and +4.95‰ to +8.88‰ in the southern part. Isotopes of δ18O in the Shijuligou copper deposit are between +11.1‰ and +18.6‰, with the calculated δ18OH2O at +0.65‰. It is suggested that the mineralized fluid is a mixture of magma fluid, meteorological water, and seawater through circulating and leaching metals from the volcanic rocks. The zircon uranium-lead (U–Pb) dating of gabbro is 457.9±1.2 Ma, and the lower crossing age of the discordant and concordia curves of pyroxene spilite of zircon is 454±15 Ma. It is indicated that the Shijuligou deposit formed in a new ocean crust (ophiolite) of the back-arc basin in the late Ordovician. Mineralization should occur in the intermittence period after strong volcanic activity, and the age should be the late Ordovician. Moreover, the mineralization of ophiolite-hosted massive sulfide deposits in the ancient orogenic belt of the late Ordovician in the northern Qilian Mountains was controlled by the primary fault/fracture, with the forming of a metallogenic hydrothermal system by a mixture of volcanic magma fluid and seawater, which circularly leached the metallogenic metals from the volcanic rocks, resulting in their accumulation. The ore bodies were transformed with morphology and metallogenic elements. Jasperoid is an important sign for prospecting such deposits. There were many island arcs in the continent of China. This study provides evidence for understanding and exploration of ophiolite-hosted massive sulfide deposits in western China, especially in the area of northern Qilian Mountains.     

Isotope Tracing and Prospecting Assessment of Gold-Silver Deposits in Zhejiang Province

Three different types of gold and silver deposits in Zhejiang Province(Huangshan gold deposit, Zhilingtou gold-silver deposit and Haoshi silver deposit) showmarked differences in lead and strontium isotopic composition, suggesting three differentsources and geneses of these deposits. The Huangshan gold deposit features low initial Srisotope ratios and low μ values or low content of radiogenic Pb and its ore-forming materialscame primarily from the upper mantle; the Zhilingtou gold-silver deposit shows high initial Srisotope ratios and high μ values or high content of radiogenic Pb and the ore-forming materialswere derived mainly from the upper crust; and the Haoshi silver deposit has its Pb and Srisotope ratios between the above two cases with the ore-forming materials stemming from boththe mantle and the crust. The characteristic Pb isotopic composition may serve as an indicatorfor prospecting for different types of ore deposits.     

Geology and mineralization of the Tiegelongnan supergiant porphyry-epithermal Cu (Au,Ag) deposit (10 Mt) in western Tibet,China: A review

The Tiegelongnan Cu(Au,Ag)deposit in central Tibet contains more than 10 Mt of copper ranking 29 th in the world.It is characterized by typical porphyry-epithermal alteration and mineralization.In order to improve the understanding of porphyry-epithermal copper deposit in Tibet,new zircon U-Pb age and sulfur isotope data along with published data in the Tiegelongnan are presented to investigate the formation and preservation mechanism.Ore-related intrusive rocks in the Tiegelongnan including Early Cretaceous(about 120 Ma)granodiorite porphyry and diorite porphyry are closely related to the northward subduction of Bangongco-Nujiang ocean.Sulfur mainly comes from deep magma,and ore-forming fluid is affected by both magmatic and meteoric water.The metallogenic setting of Tiegelongnan is consistent with those of Andean porphyry copper deposits in South America.The cover of the Meiriqiecuo Formation volcanic rocks,Lhasa-Qiangtang collision and India-Eurasian collision have significance in the preservation and uplift of the deposit.The formation,preservation and discovery of Tiegelongnan play an important role in exploration of ancient porphyry-epithermal deposits in Tibet.     

Rb-Sr isotopic dating of sphalerite from the giant Huize Zn-Pb ore field,Yunnan Province,Southwestern China

The giant Huize Zn-Pb ore field in Yunnan Province, southwestern China, comprises the Qilinchang and Kuangshanchang deposits. The deposits are large in scale (more than 5 Mt of Zn and Pb) and high in grade (average grade of total Zn and Pb is 30%). Reported in this paper are the results of Rb-Sr isotopic dating of sphalerite from this ore field. Two precise ages (223.5±3.9 Ma and 226±6.4 Ma) have been obtained from two isochrons. These two ages are close to the reported ages of native copper mineralizations...     

Genetic Types, Spatiotemporal Distribution of Ore Deposits and Sources of Ore-forming Materials in the Xuancheng Area, Anhui Province

In recent years, several large and medium-sized ore deposits have been discovered in the shallow cover of Xuancheng, Anhui Province, indicating that this area has a productive metallogenic geological background and may be a potential prospecting region. Based on systematic investigation, the geological and mineralization characteristics of porphyry Cu-Au deposits and skarn Cu-Mo-W deposits in this region have been summarized. Zircon U-Pb dating (LA-ICP-MS) of the Chating quartz-diorite porphyry and the Kunshan biotite pyroxene diorite yield concordia ages of 145.5 ± 2.1 Ma and 131.8 ± 2.1 Ma, respectively. Meanwhile, the Re-Os dating analyses for molybdenite from the Shizishan and Magushan skarn Cu-Mo deposits yielded 133.81 ± 0.86 Ma and 143.8 ± 1.4 Ma ages, respectively. When viewed in conjunction with previous studies, it is suggested that twostage (the early stage of 145–135 Ma and the late stage of 134–125 Ma) magmatism may have occurred during the Mesozoic in Xuancheng region. Early stage intrusive rocks are distributed along both sides of the Jiangnan deep fault (JDF).The intrusive rocks to the north of the JDF are mainly quartz-diorite porphyry and granodiorite (porphyry) rocks, related to porphyry Cu-Au deposits and skarn-type Cu-Mo-W deposits. These deposits belong to the first stage of the porphyry-skarn copper gold metallogenic belt of the Middle-Lower Yangtze Metallogenic Belt (MLYB), associated with the high potassium calc-alkaline intermediate-acid intrusions. The magmatic and ore-forming materials are mainly derived from the enriched lithospheric mantle. South of the JDF, the Magushan granodiorite is a representative intrusive rock of the first stage I-type granite, which hosts the Magushan Cu-Mo skarn deposit, similar to the W-Mo-Cu skarn deposits in the Eastern Segment of the Jiangnan Uplift Metallogenic Belt (ESJUB). The magmatic and metallogenic materials mainly came from the Neoproterozoic basement, with the possible participation of a small amount of mantle components. The late stage magmatism was dominated by volcanic rocks with a small amount of intrusive rocks, which were consistent with the limited volcanic-intrusive activities in the second stage of the MLYB. The H-O stable isotopes of ore deposits in the region indicate that the ore-forming hydrothermal fluids of the porphyry and skarn deposits were mostly of magmatic water for the ore-forming stage, the percentage of meteoric water obviously increasing during the late ore-forming stage. The ore-forming materials of the deposits are mainly from the deep magma with a few sedimentary wall rocks, according to the stable carbon isotopes of the carbonates in the ore deposits. Additionally, according to previous research, the molybdenite from the MLYB has a higher Re content than that of the ESJUB. The higher content of Re in the molybdenite from the Shizishan deposit is identical to that of MLYB rather than ESJUB, whereas Re characteristics in molybdenite of Magushan deposit are similar to that of ESJUB. The differences in Re characteristics indicate the different deep processes and ore-forming material sources (mainly mantle composition for the former and crustal materials for the latter) of these ore deposits on opposite sides of the JDF.     

Geological - Geophysical - Geochemical Exploration Models of Copper - Iron Deposits in Southeastern Hubei

This paper discusses geological-geophysical-geochemical models of such typical deposits as the Tieshan-type Fe-Cu deposit, the Tonglushan-type Cu-Fe deposit, the Yehuaxiang-type Cu deposit, the Jiguanzui-type Cu-Au deposit, and the Tongshankou-type Cu (Mo) deposit. The models were established based on practical data of the polymetallic deposits dominated by copper ore in southeastern Hubei. These models, which are graphically illustrated in the paper, systematically summarize the metallogenic geological conditions and the geophysical-geochemical characteristics of copper deposits in this area. The models are of practical significance for studying copper deposits, predicting mineral resources, choosing exploration methods, and searching for ore deposits based on existing ones in the study area.     

斑岩铜矿床原生晕分带模式及其控制因素

The primary halos of porphyry copper deposits are characterized by compositional zonhag in three dimensions. Two ideal zoning patterns can be divided in accordance with the shape of primary halos in space: bell-shaped and anticline-shaped, In the process oF alteration-minerallzation, K, Si, (OH), Fe, Cu, Mo, Ag, S, Ba, Rb,Pb, Zn, As, etc. were imported, while Na, Ca, Mg, Fe, Al, Ti, Mn, V, Co, Sr, Pb, Zn, etc.were exported or became activated, and then transported and reprecipitated. Both import and export of Fe, Pb and Zn may have taken place. The foundamental factors controlling the zoning of primary halos are: the stability of complexes and the activity of elements; pH, Eh, the behaviour of sulfur and the sulphophile character of elements; regularities governing the concentration of a constituent and isomorphism; temperature and pressure; and tectonic setting and country-rock characters. The authors consider that the zoning patterns of primary halos in porphyry copper deposits are tke outcome of integrated effects of the factors mentioned above.     

Isotopic Characteristics of Mesozoic Au-Ag Polymetallic Ore Deposits in Northern Hebei and Their Ore-Forming Materials Source

It has long been a controversy about the source of ore-forming materials of Au-Ag polymetallic deposits both in metallogenic theory and in ore-searching practice. In terms of a large wealth of the isotopic statistics data from Indosinian-Yanshanian endogenic ore deposits in northern Hebei (generally referring to the areas along the northern part of Taihang Mountains and northern Hebei, the same below) , it is considered that the ore-forming materials came from the deep interior of the Earth, which had migrated through plumes to the Earth surface while ex-perienced multi-stage evolution and then emplaced progressively in favorable structural loci to form ores. Their isotope data show that 559 sulfur isotopic data from 40 ore deposits are, for the most part, within the range of -5‰ -5‰, with a high degree of homogenization, indicating that the sulfur is derived mainly from magma; 200 lead isotope data from 37 ore deposits indi-cate that the ore-forming materials are principally of mantle source though some crust-source ma-terial was involved; 96 oxygen, hydrogen and carbon isotope data from 34 ore deposits illustrate that the ore-forming fluids are dominated by magmatic water while other sources of water would be involved. It may therefore be seen that the formation of endogenic deposits has nothing to do with the strata .     

Petrography,chronology and Hf isotope constraints on origin of the ore-bearing granodiorite in Zhibula copper deposit,TibetEI北大核心CSCD

The Zhibula skarn-type copper polymetallic deposit is a large copper deposit. It is located 2-3 km south of the Qulong porphyry copper deposit, in the middle section of the Gandise metallogenic belt in Tibet. The ores are commonly bedded, stratoid and vein-like hosted in the interformational detachment zone between tuff and marble and in the fracture zone. The granodiorite was discovered lately in the drill holes. The contact zone between granodiorite and tuff or marble is skarnized. The skarn-type ore deposit is closely related to the granodiorite as was demonstrated by the gradual change from the tuff, hornfels, and skarn, to the skarnized granodiorite. LA-ICP-MS zircon U-Pb dating yields a weight average 206Pb/238U age of 16.0±0.4 Ma, which is close to the Re-Os isochron age (16.9±0.6 Ma) of molybdenites from the ores. The granodiorite has εHf(t) values in range of 3.2-12 and single-stage model ages between 209-563 Ma, which are similar to those of the Miocene intrusives in the Qulong areas. The zircon Hf isotopic compositions of the granodiorite indicate that the magma is likely resulted from partial melting of the juvenile lower crust. The granodiorites are determined as the ore-forming intrusive of the Zhibula skarn-type deposit, and they are derived from the same magma system with those associate with Qulong deposits. Both of them are are of hydrothermal origin. ©, 2015, Science Press. All right reserved.     

Geology and Lead–Sulphur Isotope Compositions of the Tongyu Volcanic-Hosted Massive Sulphide Copper Deposit in the Western Part of the North Qinling Orogen, China

The Tongyu copper deposit, located in the western part of the North Qinling Orogen, China, is one of several volcanic-hosted massive sulphide(VHMS) deposits with industrial value and is also a typical example of mineralization related to the subduction and metallogenesis during the Caledonian orogeny. We conducted systematic lead-sulphur isotope geochemical analyses of the Tongyu deposit to understand the possible ore-forming material sources and tectonic settings. Twenty-six sulphide samples yielded clustered δ~(34)S_(CDT) values of 1.13‰-3.36‰, average 2.22‰, and show a tower-type distribution,implying that the sulphur of the Tongyu copper deposit mainly originated from a mantle source. The Pb isotope compositions of sulphides(~(206)Pb/~(204)Pb = 17.59225-18.56354, average 18.32020; ~(207)Pb/~(204)Pb =15.51770-15.69381, average 15.66217; ~(208)Pb/~(204)Pb= 37.99969-39.06953, average 38.52722) are close to the values of the volcanic host rocks(~(206)Pb/~(204)Pb= 18.10678-18.26293, average 18.21158; ~(207)Pb/~(204)Pb =15.63196-15.68188, average 15.65345; ~(208)Pb/~(204)Pb= 38.43676-38.56360, average 38.49171), thus consistent with the Pb in ores and volcanic host rocks having been derived from a common source that was island-arc Pb related to oceanic crust subduction. The northward subduction of the Palaeo-Qinling oceanic crust triggered dehydration of the slab, which generated a large amount of high-oxygen-fugacity aqueous hydrothermal fluid. The fluid rose into the mantle wedge, activated and extracted metallogenic material and promoted partial melting of the mantle wedge. The magma and ore-forming fluid welled up and precipitated, finally forming the Tongyu VHMS copper deposit.